


Tethered Wings

by inkedstarlight



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Mating Bond, Nessian - Freeform, Sexual Tension, Smut, Wing Kink, acomaf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-10-24 00:46:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10730700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkedstarlight/pseuds/inkedstarlight
Summary: After Cassian pisses of Nesta (again), she confronts him with an intention of revenge, but she ends up doing something more she bargained for...





	Tethered Wings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tealdeal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tealdeal/gifts).



I was fuming.

That was putting it lightly. I held wrath in my palm and the promise of murder in my eyes. Anger and disbelief bubbled from deep inside me. My chest was on fire and my hands were clenched in balls of fury. My golden hair whipped behind me in wake of the tornado that was about to hit. I was livid.

The only coherent thought that raced through my mind as I pushed past Rhysand and Feyre, who were not-so-subtly making out in the corridor, was this:

_Cassian should be fucking terrified._

I remembered the last time Cassian had pissed me off. It had been last night. He took it upon himself to _whoop my ass_ instead of bidding me good night like a sane human. When I’d pinned him against the wall, he claimed my butt needed more attention, and that he was merely obliging it.

Before that, it was the discovery of my Illyrian wings, in which Cassian teased me about endlessly in the following weeks. After that, the fake dating incident. Then, the time he took me flying and all but _dropped me in the fucking sky_ because I was being “too stubborn.” Add to that all of the overt flirting in between. There was always something.

 Not to mention the hickey he marked me with when our friends spent Starlight drunk on faerie wine, leading us to a reckless game of truth or dare. As funny as it was to watch a blushing Mor finally admit her feelings to Azriel (who continued to then kiss the hell out of her), I could’ve gone without being shoved together with the asshole who pushed buttons I didn’t even know I had.

As much as he pissed me off, Cassian was one of my closest friends. Although our friendship was extremely aggravating half the time, he was the one person I trusted. I told him things – shameful and secret things – that I’ve never confessed to anyone. He made me smile for the first time after the night at Hybern. He made sure I wasn’t an empty shell of a being by making me feel something – _anything._ Even if it was anger. He kept me alive. He didn’t hold me down. He lifted me up and taught me to fly and made sure I never left the sky. He knew me.

But that was a completely different story.

For now, I was angry for an entirely other reason. One that needed serious explaining.

As I marched my way through the House of Wind, I felt my midnight wings yearning to stretch out from my back. They tended to unfurl when I summoned or more typically, when my emotions became uncontrollable. This tended to happen when I was in Cassian’s presence.

Purely coincidental. 

When I reached the courtyard where Azriel and Cassian were training, my eyes immediately narrowed to his bare chest glistening with sweat in the heat of spring. I could spy Mor lounging on a chair and sipping a cold drink, ogling her own boyfriend.

I rolled my eyes. These insufferable couples were the bane of my existence. Who needed to be around another person every hour of every day?

With that cynical thought, I beelined for Cassian.

His eyes locked on mine once he heard footsteps approaching. I watched as he easily finished off Azriel, faking a swing at his chest and swiftly hitting him at his ankles, causing Azriel to lose his balance – his wings saving him from falling backward onto the grassy ground.

He turned to me fully with triumph in his eyes. I crossed my arms.

“Need something, sweetheart?”

“Could I have just a moment of your time?” I asked, my voice sickly sweet.

He turned to Azriel, nodding his head at him. Dismissing him. Azriel smiled all-knowingly at us, grabbed Mor by the hand, and pulled her out of the courtyard. Leaving Cassian and me alone.

I advanced.

He grinned. “Looks like everyone wants us to be a coupl –”

A slap to his jaw had him stopping midsentence, mouth agape as he stared at my open palm.

“What the hell,” he started, “was that?”

“That,” I said, “was for your big, gossiping mouth.”

His bruised jaw forgotten, Cassian rolled his eyes. “You told me I could go on telling men that you’re available.”

I groaned.

_The audacity._

“I gave you the permission to tell a few of your _friends_ that I was open to dating. I did not ask you to spread rumors around the entire city that I’m willing to give it up to any man that asks.”

I had gone to Velaris today to find a gift for Feyre’s birthday. All day, I was approached by a countless number of men who all wanted the same thing. A date with me. Even Tarquin, the High Lord of the Summer Court, who was visiting the Night Court after Rhys invited him to Feyre’s party, had come onto me. I finally asked him why so many men had been interested in me. He told me Cassian’d gone to the pub late last night and spread the word that I was looking for a man to mate with.

Something like confusion flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly covered up with his usual arrogance.

“But aren’t you? Willing to give it up to any man that is.”

“Never knew you stooped so low, Cassian.”

“I’m just telling you what I know, sweetheart.” He leaned closer to me; his naked chest just inches away. “I know I wasn’t imagining moans coming from your room in the late hours of the night.”

My eyes opened wide in disbelief and my cheeks reddened at his words. I thought about the last time I had pleasured myself…

_Starlight._

I inwardly groaned. After Cassian had licked and kissed my neck, I tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. My body wanted – _needed_ – Cassian.

So I did the best I could, forgetting that Cassian’s room was just across the hall.

I’d assumed he was asleep at two o’clock in the morning.

“Don’t pretend you weren’t thinking of me the entire time,” he whispered, moving his head down the plane of my pale neck. His full lips brushed the soft spot where my throat met my shoulder. It took all the restraint within me to not reach between us and move against his hard body.

“Cassian… stop,” I said halfheartedly, breathless. He ignored me and moved his hands down my back to where my wings were furled. The fingertips of his hands grazed the sensitive membrane of my wings and I nearly moaned.

_No._

He had made me out to be a whore; _his_ whore.

I pushed him back firmly with that thought planted in my head. I chanted it over and over again. _He tells girls the same thing all the time. You don’t want him_. He stared down at me eyes glistening with lust. I licked my lips. His endless hazel eyes flicked down to the movement.

“Y-you aren’t in charge of me,” I said pathetically. I hated how I stuttered.

He chuckled. “I know that, Ness. You’re a capable woman. But,” he said, biting his bottom lip slowly, “if you ever need a good fucking, you know where to find me.”

My jaw snapped open. _That was it._

“You’re right. I should accept Tarquin’s offer.” Just in spite of him, I added, “I even brought something in the city as a little preview. I hope he likes black, lacy things.”

With that, I swiveled on my heel and sashayed away.

… And got two feet before a strong hand pulled me back on my arm and I was facing Cassian’s annoyingly handsome face. My chest rose up and down in anticipation.

“Fuck it,” he growled.

And he crushed his lips to mine.

A raspy groan escaped from Cassian when his soft, sensuous lips met mine. It was a feeling I hadn’t bargained for; one of unbearable heat and passion. Bringing a hand up to cup my cheek, he deepened the kiss. I reached on my toes, almost unable to reach his lips. He growled, moving his hands to cup my thighs and picked me up with a possessiveness I didn’t know he had. Without second thought, I wrapped my legs around his waist. His tongue melted against mine and I twisted my fingers into his thick hair to keep from unraveling right there.

He pushed me against the nearby wall, grinding against me until there wasn’t any space between us. My breasts were flush against his hard chest. My head rolled back against the cool bricks as he worked his tongue and teeth and hands all over my body, exploring every curve and valley. _Tasting_ me.

Feeling the hardness of him on my core, a moan escaped me.

“I want you to know,” he breathed, “that I didn’t tell those men that they could fuck you. I told a few friends, like you asked, that you were open to dating. The bastards must have twisted my words. I’m sorry.”

Even though I knew in my heart Cassian wouldn’t have betrayed my trust in such a way, relief flooded through my chest.

“Shut up and kiss me.”

At the sound of my pleading, his lips turned up at the corners. He leaned back slightly, sucking my neck lightly. Teasing me.

I teased him right back.

Stretching my arms around the expanse of his broad shoulders, I not-so-lightly touched the midnight wings that were surrounding us. He hissed, looking back into my eyes.

“What a dirty game, sweetheart. Let’s see how fast this will be over if you keep playing.”

I raised an eyebrow in challenge, tracing a finger across the smooth surface of his wing. My other hand stroked his hard cock at the same time. I moved my hand to the most sensitive spot where his wing met his muscular back. Cassian shuddered with pleasure.

Unable to help myself, I watched with awe as his cheeks flushed red and a deep moan escaped his throat. Before I could stroke his length again, he unzipped the pants he was still wearing. His cock sprang free. He reached his hand down and began stroking himself with a fist.

When Cassian was almost at the edge, I pulled off my tank top in one swift motion. Without breaking eye contact with him, I unclasped the lacy bra I had bought just yesterday. He watched me strip bare with a ravenous hunger in his eyes.

“Gorgeous,” he rasped, taking in every last piece of me. And I felt just that under his gaze.

He pushed me back against the wall, my hands pinned to the cool brick above my head. I let out a whimper as he slowly dragged his plump lips from my neck all the way down to my inner thighs. He sucked and bit me until I was on fire.

Moving back up, his lips met mine again and he kissed me senseless.

“Please, Cassian,” I moaned.

“What do you want, Ness?” he whispered.

“Fuck me hard.”

Without hesitation, Cassian moved into me with a hard thrust. I rolled my hips against his, our bodies moving in tandem. He filled me with his impressive length again and again. He brought his hands to my wings, bringing me higher and higher. Wave after wave of pleasure hit me and I pressed my lips against the columns of his strong neck to muffle my cries. We shattered together.

Falling back onto the grass, I leaned against his chest. His hands came up and began moving lazily through my long hair. I closed my eyes in bliss. The only sound was our heavy breaths and the chirping of the birds that were lounging in the heat of the spring. It was us and the wind and the sun.

“You,” he gasped, breaking the quiet, “should be worshipped. Every last inch of you. God, Ness. You’re beautiful.”

Tears pricked in my eyes at his words; words that have never been spoken to me before. Before Cassian, I had never thought I would amount to anything except a small villager’s wife. Before him, I never thought I could dream or love or _feel._ Before him, I felt lost in myself and the mortal world of selfishness and cruelty.

But Cassian… he made me feel like a queen. Powerful. Beautiful. _Worthy._

Turning around to face him, I lifted his scruffy chin with two fingers, forcing our gazes to meet. I met his eyes and looked into them deeply, never wavering.

“Thank you. Not just for this,” I gestured to our tangled bodies, “but for making me feel like I can do anything I set my mind to.” I laughed. He grinned, squeezing my heart. “Even if it’s flying.”

I kissed him softly on the cheek.

“I love you, Cassian.”

As his name left my lips, something inside me snapped into place. My heart was suddenly beating faster, no longer yearning for something more. I felt like I could soar and fly and touch any star I had wished to. It was as if a tether I had been blindly pulling at for the past seven months broke. And instead of an invisible line, I felt a hand at the other end, reaching for me until our hands were irrevocably intertwined.

He smiled at me now, wiping the tears from my cheeks as I realized what was happening.

“And I love you,” he whispered. “My mate.”

**Author's Note:**

> My first official ACoMaF fic... enjoy! This is for @TealDeal for the ACOWAR Exchange. I hope it's steamy enough for you (;


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